Washington, D.C.--Congressman Eliot Engel issued the following statement on Thursday, July 23, 2009 on the floor of the House of Representatives. Rep. Engel spoke in support of the Frelinghuysen/Engel/Holt/Lance Amendment to H.R. 3288, the Fiscal Year 2010 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill. The amendment would have restricted the use of funds for the New York/New Jersey/Philadelphia Airspace Redesign Plan. The amendment failed in the full House. A video of Rep. Engel’s speech can be viewed here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8xuILqYxx8

“Thank you Mr. Speaker:

“I rise today in strong support of the gentleman from New Jersey’s (Frelinghuysen) amendment to restrict funding to the FAA’s ill-conceived New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania airspace redesign plan.

“This plan was jammed down our throats, with zero input from the residents it harms the most. It would put an additional 200-400 flights per day over my constituents in Rockland County, New York, with lots and lots of overhead noise. The FAA won’t even tell us how much more noise they will endure.

“They tried to do it without any kind of public hearing. They tried to sneak it through. They have been a bad player, and have acted in bad faith. There was no notification to myself or other elected officials whose districts are affected. The residents have not had sufficient opportunities to have their concerns and comments heard.

“Landing at Newark Airport right over our communities is totally unacceptable. The noise level will be increased, and again, the FAA doesn’t tell us by how much. I have let President Obama, Transportation Secretary Ray Lahood and FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt know that I am totally opposed to this, and I commend the gentleman from New Jersey for this amendment.

“This plan must be defeated. It is not going to serve anyone, and certainly not our country.”